Ready To Assemble Bar Stool

ABSTRACT

A bar stool system having a first assembled configuration for seating and a second unassembled configuration for storage and shipping, having a horizontal seat, a support frame having leg assembly members and interchangeable legs that assemble quickly and disassemble into a configuration that optimizes space when shipped.

INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/029,819 filed Feb. 12, 2008 the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to ready-to-assemble (“RTA”)furniture. More specifically, the present invention relates to RTA barstools configured for rapid assembly to a fully assembled state aftershipping and storage stages.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a bar stool constructed and arranged forminimizing packaging volume for rapid assembly to a fully assembledstate with minimal effort and tools.

In one embodiment, the present invention is a bar stool system having afirst assembled configuration for seating and a second unassembledconfiguration for storage and shipping.

The assembly has a horizontal seat, a support frame having leg assemblymembers and interchangeable legs. The assembly may be configured withthree, four, or five support frame members, as desired. Preferably, theinterchangeable legs attach to the lower portion of the support frame ina male-female connecting arrangement. The interchangeable legs may havevarying sizes shapes and other configurations that may be selected asdesired by a user.

In one preferred embodiment an interchangeable leg is provided such thatthe assembled barstool may be used as a conventional counter heightstool.

In an alternative embodiment, a longer interchangeable leg may be usedsuch that the stool of the present invention resembles that of aconventional barstool. A conventional barstool is configured to agreater height than that of a conventionally used counter height stool.

The unassembled configuration is substantially rectangular. In order toachieve the substantially rectangular configuration, the interchangeablelegs must be removed from their respective leg frames.

The assembly also has a support ring and a foot ring for structuralsupport. The support ring is typically positioned on the upper portionof the assembly below the seat. The foot ring is typically positioned onthe lower portion of the assembly.

Preferably, the support frame circumferraly attaches to the supportring.

Also contemplated are methods of shipping Ready to Assemble (RTA) barstool assemblies with interchangeable legs having the steps of:

-   -   (a) providing RTA components of comprising:        -   (i) a horizontal seat;        -   (ii) support frame having leg assembly members; and        -   (iii) interchangeable legs;            wherein said interchangeable legs attach to the lower            portion of the support frame by a male-female connection    -   (b) arranging said RTA components such that said components form        a rectangular configuration;    -   (b) packaging said RTA furniture into a conventional shipping        container such that each unit forming said rectangular frame        efficiently utilizes the available shipping space of a        conventional shipping container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the unassembled configurations.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the unassembled configurations alsoshowing how the interchangeable leg is removed to arrange the componentsin a substantially rectangular manner.

FIG. 3 shows the disconnected arrangement removed from a rectangularcontainer.

FIG. 4 shows a disassembled view of the components.

FIG. 5 shows a close up of the interchangeable leg and male-femaleconnection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Barstool system 5 has frame assembly 50 that supports seat 70. Eachindividual frame assembly 50 is arranged circumferrally around supportring and 40 and foot ring 60. Mounting screws 80 secure foot ring 60 toeach frame assembly 50 at frame assembly mounting support 36. Each lowerportion of frame assembly 50 has a female cavity 34 that receives maleconnector 32 on interchangeable leg 30. Interchangeable leg 30 may haveprotective cap 31 affixed to the lower end of interchangeable leg 30.Barstool system 5 may optionally have back assembly 10 that can besecured to either seat 70 or any one or more of frame assembly members50 by any acceptable securing mechanism as are commonly known such as,but not limited to. Mounting screws.

As depicted in FIG. 1, barstool assembly 5 may be disassembled andcontained within a substantially rectangular solid such as a typicalshipping box or container.

Interchangeable legs 30 are preferably removed from the frame assembly50 prior to shipping because, as seen in FIG. 2, interchangeable legs30, when connected to frame assembly 50, extend beyond the periphery ofthe desired substantially rectangular configuration.

Barstool system 5 may be provided with interchangeable legs 30 andinterchangeable legs 20. System 5 may be utilized with many types ofinterchangeable legs as desired by the user. The interchangeable legsmay have such features as different lengths, different widths, differentdecorative surface features, wheels or casters, and the like. Barstoolsystem 5, with the aforementioned interchangeable leg features may beshipped with a plurality of different interchangeable legs that may beselected for use by a particular user when system 5 is assembled.

Each interchangeable leg provided with system 5, will have a maleconnector 32 that pairs with the female connector cavity 34 of frameassembly 50. As shown in FIG. 5, detail A, the arrow indicates theinsertion path of male connector 32 into the female cavity 34.Interchangeable leg 30 may be secured to frame assembly 50 by anyacceptable means as is commonly known. In one embodiment, male connector32 has an orifice 33 that pairs with orifice 35 on frame assembly 50. Amounting screw 80 may then pass through orifice 35 and orifice 33 tosecurely hold adjustable leg 30 in place on frame assembly 50.

In assembling a preferred embodiment, the components are separated andthe frame assembly 50 is placed in an upright position, e.g. positionedupright so as to receive the component parts and be usable uponassembly. Each frame assembly 50 is connected to each of support ring 40and foot ring 60 through use of screws 80. In one embodiment, mountingscrews 80 interact with nuts permanently mounted into incorporatedorifices into each of said frame assembly 50 support ring 40 and footring 60.

The bar stool system of the present invention provides not only a costsavings in shipping, but also a savings in labor for assembling. Oncethe article is unpacked from shipping configuration; it comprises simplecomponents and assembles quickly.

The system of the present invention is advantageous because theinterchangeable leg extension allows a user to select a counter heightstool, chair, or a bar stool. Typically, the counter height stool andbar stool are separate items. The system of the present invention allowsa user to purchase a single stool and interchange the legs as desired.This reduces the number of stools needed for display inventory andfurther allows display inventories to demonstrate varying styles withouthaving to display separate chair height, counter height, and bar stoolmodels.

Assembly of the system of the present invention on a commercial scale isalso economized because any assembly line processes can be done quickly.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form orembodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that thisdescription has been given only by way of example and that numerouschanges in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, includingthe combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A bar stool system comprising: (a) a first assembledconfiguration for seating; (b) a second unassembled configuration forstorage and shipping, comprising: a horizontal seat; (ii) support framehaving leg assembly members; and (iii) interchangeable legs; whereinsaid interchangeable legs attach to the lower portion of the supportframe.
 2. The furniture system of claim 1, wherein said unassembledconfiguration is substantially rectangular.
 3. The furniture system ofclaim 1, further comprising a support ring.
 4. The furniture system ofclaim 2, wherein said support frame circumferraly attaches to thesupport ring.
 5. The furniture system of claim 1 wherein saidinterchangeable leg interconnects and secures to the support frame by amale-female connection.
 6. A method of shipping Ready to Assemble (RTA)bar stool with interchangeable legs comprising the steps of:
 7. (a)providing RTA components of comprising:
 8. (i) a horizontal seat; (ii)support frame having leg assembly members; and (iii) interchangeablelegs; wherein said interchangeable legs attach to the lower portion ofthe support frame by a male-female connection (b) arranging said RTAcomponents such that said components form a rectangular configuration;(c) packaging said RTA furniture into a conventional shipping containersuch that each unit forming said rectangular frame efficiently utilizesthe available shipping space of a conventional shipping container.